The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connector assemblies for connecting triaxial cables to coaxial cables.
Triaxial cables are used in applications wherein enhanced electromagnetic shielding is desired to minimize interference of the signal transmitted by the cable. Frequently, triaxial cables are used to carry signals from a remote location to processing circuitry supported within a housing. In such applications, it is desirable to remove the noise carried by the outer conductor of the triaxial cable prior to entrance of the cable into the housing and into the circuitry, as any noise present on the outer conductor can interfere with the proper functioning of the electronics in the circuitry.
In many prior systems, removal of the noise from the outer conductor of a triaxial cable was attempted by providing an electrical contact with the outer conductor prior to entrance of the triaxial cable into the housing. In such attempts, for example, an electrically conductive termination element or grounding clip was extended through the outer jacket of the triaxial cable into electrical contact with the outer conductor of the cable. The grounding clip provided an external grounding path for noise on the outer conductor prior to entrance of the triaxial cable into the housing.
Mere electrical contact with the outer conductor of the triaxial cable has not proved to be fully satisfactory. In such systems, the triaxial cable continues into the housing and into the circuitry, and if noise carried on the outer conductor of the cable is not fully dissipated through the grounding clip, the noise will be carried into the housing and into the circuitry, and can interfere with the proper operation of the circuitry electronics.